Many of you already know that I am doing an Au Pair while studying abroad in Barcelona. The family I have connected with is so warm, lively, and loving. They have embraced me with open arms and I have fallen in love with them in just the few days that I have been here.

They are so kind, and have provided the best home environment for me. Every month, they go to a small village in the Pyrenees mountains, Das, to get away from the busy city life.

When they invited me to go stay in their apartment with them, I wasn’t sure what to expect. As a native Southern Californian, it is rare that I am around snowy, cold weather.

We arrived to Das late on a Friday night, and a warm meal and before we knew it, it was time for bed. When I woke up, we opened the windows to find that it had snowed over night and the little village looked like something out of a fairytale.

We spent the weekend walking around the narrow streets, visiting the local farmer to get some fresh food, and going up to the ski resort for a day on the slopes. It was the perfect escape from Barcelona, into a quaint little town for a snowy weekend.

Coming home from Das made me appreciate and love Barcelona even more than I did before. It is starting to feel like my new home and I love it!

Besos,

Madeline Alice Johnson

Side Note: This blog post is originally from January 15, 2016 – January 17, 2016.